


Precipitous

by pinkhairnoshoes



Series: Daddy, Papa, and Me [3]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Adopted Peter Parker, Adopted Sibling Relationship, Domestic Avengers, F/M, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, M/M, Parent Tony Stark, Peter Parker Has Siblings, Peter Parker Has a Family, Post-Divorce, Protective Steve Rogers, Recreational Drug Use, Slow Burn, Steve Rogers Feels, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-30
Updated: 2019-11-29
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:42:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21610000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkhairnoshoes/pseuds/pinkhairnoshoes
Summary: Pepper and Tony are going through the divorce of the century. Or it would be if Steve and Tony’s divorce didn’t happen 10 years earlier. Tony reaches out to Steve for comfort and it starts to lead them down a familiar path. Peter and his sister Beverly are away at college trying to figure out problems of their own. After returning home for Christmas they start to suspect that their parents are trying to get back together.
Relationships: Michelle Jones/Peter Parker, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Original Character(s), Peter Parker & Steve Rogers & Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Steve Rogers & Tony Stark & Original Character(s), Peter Parker & Tony Stark, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Series: Daddy, Papa, and Me [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1298696
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15





	Precipitous

**Author's Note:**

> A new addition to my series. Peter and Beverly are grown-up. I'll planning to throw in some chapters that take place in the past.

“Why did I ever marry you? My mother told me not to and I should have listened,” Pepper says as she sets the last of her bags were packed and by the door. They usually had Christmas decorations up by then but the house remained in its usual state.

“I can’t just abandon Iron Man or the Avengers. You know that. It’s who I am,” Tony pleads with her.

“I can’t keep doing this. Lying to Morgan about how you’ve hurt yourself—”

“Then stop lying! We never kept this stuff from Pete and Bev.”

“You and Steve didn’t but you should have. How is that protecting your children?”

“Don’t start with me. My children turned out fine. Peter is working on his PhD at MIT and Bev will be graduating from Johns Hopkins in a semester. She already has job interviews lined up.”

“I mean emotionally. No-one has questioned if your children are intelligent.”

“We’re not talking about Beverly’s depression.”

“Maybe we should? She’d been hospitalized for it. She would have had an easier time if she wasn’t worried about you two. You don’t know how your kids were when you had to leave. They were scared. Peter would—”

“Don’t talk to me about my children like I don’t fucking know them!”

“Don’t raise your voice at me! You’re right as always Tony. I’m not doing this,” Pepper says grabbing her bags and heading into the elevator.

Tony moves forward as if to follow her but stops and turns around instead, staring into his now empty home. Thinking back to when it was filled with the sounds of laughing, playing children. The sounds of Peter and Beverly’s feet hitting the tile as they ran endlessly after each other. Music playing over the radio as Steve prepared dinner in the kitchen. The sounds of his then-husband’s laughter as Tony made jokes and flirted with him.

And later as his babies grew into teenagers and things with Steve started to fall apart. The arguments, the shouting, the slamming of doors. The weary looks from his children as their parents tried to pretend everything was perfect. It hadn’t lasted and soon he was all alone. Not long before the house was filled with Pepper’s laughter and the rooms started to reflect her taste. Morgan was born and he was getting to experience having a baby for the first time. Staying up all hours of the night as the little colicky baby cried endlessly. His daughter getting her first tooth, taking her first step, saying her first word. It all happened in this room. It was back to being empty and another person was leaving him. Tony didn’t know if he had the strength to do it again. They always left. Everyone did. That was his life.

Steve is waiting at their usual brunch spot getting angry that Tony isn’t there yet. They met here every Sunday for years to discuss their children. They weren’t married anymore but they still needed to parent their children together. Ten minutes late now and Steve hates when people aren’t on time. It was so inconsiderate, as if the other person’s time didn’t matter. Steve pulls out his phone and sees a message from Tony.

> **I hate to do this but I can’t leave the house right now. Meet me at the Penthouse? We can do brunch here.**

Steve sighs and flags the waitress over. They were becoming regulars there and it was a waitress they knew pretty well. He explains about Tony’s change of plans and cashed out.

Tony didn’t really even want to see Steve. It was another reminder of how he couldn’t get someone to stay and love him. He could cancel, spend the day alone in his workshop bury himself in work. It wasn’t fair to Steve though. Their relationship had been great and he had been nothing but kind and supportive. Even offering to watch Morgan to give him and Pepper more alone time.

It’s fairly quiet when Steve arrives and he wonders where Pepper and Morgan are at. He was expecting to come to a full house. Tony is sitting at the dining table nursing a cup of coffee. Tony’s personal chef is preparing food for brunch. Steve grabs a cup and joins Tony at the table.

“Pepper out with Morgan?”

Tony looks sad for a moment before he speaks. “Pep and I got into a fight. She’s taken Morgan and is staying with her mom for a bit.”

“I’m so sorry. Is that why you wanted to meet here?”

Tony is staring down into his coffee like it contains the meaning of life. A sad smile is still playing across his lips. The conversation lulls for a bit, Tony too lost in his own thoughts and Steve not knowing what to say.

It’s a welcome distraction when the food is served. Soon the plates are empty and being cleared away. The chef is packing up and leaving. Steve is watching Tony worriedly.

“I spoke to Pete this morning. He’s excited about an experiment. Honestly most of it went over my head but I tried to keep up. He said they got tons of snow in Boston the other night. He went around helping people stuck in the snow,” Steve says trying to stave off the silence.

“Boston’s friendly neighborhood Spider-man. Did you tell him New York misses him?”

“I told him his Dads missed him. And he should come home more often. You know how that goes.”

“Did you ever love me Steve?”

Steve’s cheeks blush red. The words so abrupt, so out of place.

  
“How can you question that?” _I never stopped loving you._

“Was I difficult to be married to?”

“Where is this coming from?”

“It’s nothing.”

“Tony, something is on your mind.”

“Pepper won’t let me see Morgan.”

“I think there are things we shouldn’t rehash. We had our reasons for the marriage not working. I can talk to Pepper if you want. She shouldn’t be keeping you from your kid.”

Tony is getting more and more upset. “I hate being away from her. Pepper will get full custody and I won’t be able to see my kids all week.”

“Talk to her and work it out. It’s tough. I hated the nights alone without the kids.”

The stress is getting to Tony and he’s looking like he’s going to cry. Steve stands up and pulls Tony into a hug. Holding him tight against his chest. “It will be alright.”

Tony stays there for a moment accepting the comfort before pulling back just slightly and kisses Steve forcefully on the lips. Tony honestly doesn’t know how he expected it to go. That Steve would reciprocate and then what? Fuck him against the table until he was so numb he would stop thinking about Pepper. Steve’s strong hands are on his shoulders pushing him back and rejecting him.

“I’m not your rebound for when Pepper hurts your feelings!” Steve’s words cut like ice through his heart.

Tony looks down his head hanging heavy with shame, his lips in a thin line. He couldn’t look at Steve and see that anger on his face again.

“Get out!” Tony says doing his best to sound outraged instead of hurt.

Steve starts to have a change of heart, he wasn’t angry with Tony just wanted to be firm so he didn’t misinterpret. He wasn’t going to allow Tony to pull him back in like that. He knew how it would end, Tony back with Pepper and Steve alone with his feelings. Much better to just nip it in the bud.

“Tony—”

“Now! Get out of my house!”

Steve leaves Tony more broken than he arrived, gathering his things and quietly leaving. It was a strange fight if it can even be considered one. It had been years since they had gotten into it and Steve was feeling like his mood was soured for the rest of the day.

*****

“Where’s Henry?” Peter asks as he lets Beverly into his home. “I thought he was driving from Baltimore with you.”

He holds the door open as she kicks snow off her boots before stepping inside. Beverly had set out after lunch, heading from Baltimore up to Cambridge to meet Peter. She was finishing up her second to last semester before graduating. Peter was working on his PhD and student teaching at MIT.

“Henry and I are through. I don’t want to talk about it,” Beverly says awkwardly shuffling in a suitcase.

“How was the drive?”

“7 and 1/2 freaking hours Pete. I’m so ready to not be driving.”

Peter grabs her suitcase from her and leads her up the stairs and down the hall. A small room on the left with a bed neatly made. There’s a pile of college textbooks stacked up by the wall. Beverly browses over the titles, Chemistry, Biology, and Math. Peter sets down her suitcase and leans against the doorframe.

“MJ is already in bed. We both have an early morning. She says Hi. Make yourself at home.”

Beverly hugs him tightly and they tell each other goodnight. It’s quiet once she sits on the floor and opens her suitcase. She can’t sleep though, the cheap gas station coffee that got her through the drive working against her. Beverly pads softly downstairs into the kitchen, trying a few switches before she finds the right one. All the sounds feel amplified as she pulls a bottle of wine out of a paper bag. It clinks as she sets it on the granite countertop. The drawers are loud as she opens them looking for the wine key.

The wine glass clinks against the others as she pulls it from the cabinet. Even when she tries to close it softly, the sound echoes through the room. She digs through the pantry until she finds a bag of chips. She gathers her things and glances into the main floor family room. She wonders if they can hear the tv or see the light coming through under their door. Instead she walks the few steps into the downstairs family room and places her things on the coffee table. She turns on the lamp and looks for the remote. After finding something to watch she settles into a cozy corner of the overstuffed couch and pulls an afghan around her body. It looked like one her Uncle Bucky had made. He had started crocheting as part of his rehab. He wanted to use his hands to create something good.

*****

MJ and Peter flit around the kitchen, preparing breakfast and filling thermoses with coffee. Pale morning sunlight is coming in the front windows.

“Is your sister awake? Her door was ajar and the bed’s made.”

Peter swallows a bite of toast. “I’d be surprised if she’s up and out of the house. She didn’t mention having plans.”

“Do you think she’s downstairs?” MJ asks as she heads down the steps and glances into the room.

Peter follows behind her and sighs when he notices the empty bottle of wine and open bag of chips. The tv is on but muted while Beverly is curled up under the blankets and fast asleep. Peter goes up to her and shakes her shoulder. She lets out a gasp of pain and cries, “don’t.”

“Hey! Get up!”

“Why?”

“Because you’re asleep on the couch. Go use the bed.”

“Why does it matter? Leave me alone!”

“Pete, let her be,” MJ says grabbing his arm.

“You know what kind of person drinks alone until they pass out? An alcoholic.”

“It was a bottle of wine. My boyfriend broke up with me and I just wanted to forget for a minute. You ignored me as soon as I got here.”

“Because you got here so late. I had to be up early. Not everything is about you.”

“You could have asked if I’m alright. Said more than a sentence to me.”

“Well. Bev. What’s wrong with you this time? It’s always something.”

She sits up and glares at him.

“Nevermind. Don’t you have to be at work?”

Peter sits on the coffee table invading her space.

MJ rolls her eyes. “I’m heading out. Are you coming?”

“What do you want to talk about?” Peter antagonizes.

Beverly wipes the sleep from her eyes. “Nothing right now.”

“This is why no-one can stand being around you.”

“Well I don’t want to be around either of you right now,” MJ says as she turns and goes upstairs.

After a few more minutes Peter joins her upstairs, gathering his things they head out together.

“Did you have to be so harsh on her? She’s crying for chrissake.”

*****

“Hey, are you hungry?” Peter asks as he pulls a sandwich out of a paper bag and throws it onto the coffee table.

Beverly, feeling guilty over the fight with her brother, had spent the last hour cleaning up their place. It seems Peter was feeling the same way since he came back with food as a peace offering.

“Is this from the place you’re always telling me about?”

“Best sandwiches in Cambridge.”

Beverly smirks at him because he always found a local independant sandwich place wherever he went. Peter had ordered a reuben for himself and a veggie Banh Mi for her. She remembered back in middle school when they would order reubens for dinner. There was a little shop with tons of reuben varieties. It was back before she became a vegetarian. She recalled them being tasty but she couldn’t handle the meat anymore. He had also bought a large amount of cheese fries that were absolutely delicious.

As they’re finishing up lunch, Aunt May calls.

“Merry Christmas May!”

“Thanks, Merry Christmas to you too.”

“Bev’s here with me. Do you mind if I put you on speaker?”

“Sure hun.”

It had been years since Uncle Ben’s murder. A robbery gone wrong. They worried about Aunt May and who she had to spend her holidays with.

“I drove up to Boston to visit Peter,” Bev explains.

“That’s a long drive. I hope the roads weren’t bad.”

“They were alright. Traffic wasn’t great.”

“MJ is leaving tonight. Driving to her parents. Bev and I are heading off to the compound in a couple days.”

They chat for a bit and get all caught up on everyone’s holiday plans. They invite May to the Avengers compound for Christmas. It will be their first one with Steve and Tony together since the divorce and most of the Avengers are planning on joining. They’re excited when May agrees to join them.

****

Peter and Beverly lie on their backs on the carpeted floor of the tiny basement living-room of his quad-level townhouse. Giggling as they pass a joint back and forth.

“Remember when you almost got Happy arrested?”

Beverly laughs, “I did not.”

“Liar. You were in like second grade. Threw up in Art class and they called Dad. Steve was out on a mission. Dad was too busy to pick you up so he sent Happy.”

“Oh yeah. I was kinda a dick as a kid,” Bev says rolling onto her stomach.

“I was waiting in the office for Dad to pick me up. I was really upset that he didn’t come. Like mad mad. So I ran over to the office lady when he picked up my backpack and yelled I’ve never seen this man before in my life.”

“They locked down the school and brought the police in. Dad was so pissed off. He actually showed up to sort everything out. He yelled at you the whole ride home.”

“I had blocked it all out. He hit me with the belt, didn’t he?”

“You…you kinda deserved it.”

She rolls back onto her back and resumes staring at the ceiling.

“Remember when Dad found your pot stash?”

“I do not actually. I’m sure he was thrilled.”

They continue reminiscing until the conversation moves onto Pepper and Tony’s divorce along with Steve never remarrying.

“Pops told me something one day and it always sticks in my mind. He said that he’s never loved anyone as much as he loved Daddy. He could never open himself up to another person like that again. That it hurt too much when everything fell apart. I feel like that sometimes. Like I shouldn’t let people too close.”

“Is this about Henry?”

Beverly blinks as she feels tears welling up in her eyes.

“He hurt me,” she whispers, her voice coming out in a pained squeak.

“I know but you’ll find someone better.”

With shaky hands she slides up the hem of her fall yellow sweater to reveal the dark purple bruises scattered over her abdomen.

“No Peter. He hurt me,” she says again.

Peter sits up quickly, the joint falls from his hand and starts to burn a hole into his jeans. He curses and quickly throws it into a glass of water.

“Bev, what the fuck?”

She twirls her hand in the air, her face contorted in pain. “I don’t know. It just happened.”

“It just happened?” The words come out angrier than he’s intending. It wasn’t meant for her.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” she says softly as she wipes futility at her wet cheeks.

“Why are you sorry? Bev this isn’t your fault.”

“But I’m Tony Stark’s daughter. My life is supposed to be perfect. I’m supposed to be perfect. This doesn’t happen to girls like me. I—” she dissolves into tears unable to vocalize the rest of her thoughts.

Peter leans his back against the coffee table and his hand reaches out to smooth her sweater back down.

“How long has it been going on?”

“I don’t—This was a mistake,” Beverly says standing up slowly and starting up the stairs.

“Bev! Wait!” Peter says as he follows her.

“Please. I can’t. Just leave me alone.”

Her heavy steps can be heard through the kitchen and up the next flight of stairs and into the guestroom.

The mood has changed and the evening now feels somber. Peter looks up at the windows that are level with the ground, watching the snowfall and build up. He had to tell someone else. Like a hot potato he had to pass it on before it burnt his hands. Who would he tell? It was too late to call anyone. MJ was already in bed, she had poked her head into the basement to tell them not to stay up too late after she had returned home from a book club Christmas party.

He ought to call his Dad but he was already imagining that going poorly. Tony would tell Friday to track Henry down and send out a suit. And do what? A repulsor blast through the chest or be like a rich parent in those K-dramas his mom and sisters liked to watch, and pay Henry to disappear from Beverly’s life? He could call his Pops and where would that go? Would Steve call Bucky and Natasha and go pay the kid a visit? He pulls himself up from the floor and starts to clean up the room.

Had he called one of his fathers he would have found them together in the compound. Away from the common areas, in Tony’s personal living area. Watching a movie and sharing a bowl of popcorn between them. Sitting on opposite sides on the couch with their own blankets. After the popcorn was finished and the empty dish moved to the coffee table. Steve moving to the closer cushion and leaning his head on Tony’s shoulder, sliding his hand into his.

Peter shuts the lights off and heads upstairs, pausing outside of the guestroom. He knocks on the door and waits for his sister to answer. A minute passes and he leans his head against the door and knocks again.

“Bev,” he says as he opens the door. The house was old and only the bathroom had a lock on it. She couldn’t lock people out like she had done at home.

The street lamp casts a dim light through the thin curtains into room illuminating Beverly’s figure on the bed as Peter enters the room. She’s sitting up, arms wrapped around her knees as she stares out the window.

“I’m going to sit down,” Peter says cautiously like approaching a wounded animal.

She nods and scoots over so he can sit by her. His arms wrap around her and his head rests against her messy blonde hair.

“I’ve got you, it’s going to be okay, you’re going to be okay,” Peter says.

**Author's Note:**

> It's been so long since I've last updated. I got married and moved into a new house with my wife. We've accepted an offer on our old house and soon enough we won't own two homes. I think I'll have free time again to write. I've missed posting new stories and chapters. I have a lot of ideas and rough drafts. I just need to get through editing them. I fell running with my dog on the dirt road behind our subdivision. I stepped on a huge rock and twisted my ankle before going down. I fell on my wrist so it hurts to type. That's just my luck. Hopefully it feels better in the morning and I get in more writing time.


End file.
